An item from our friends in NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala) regarding the recent rise in violence related to kidnapping, illegal adoptions, and the trafficking of human organs. Noting that Rights Action have put together a short collection of articles as well as some much-needed analysis on the context in which this violence is occurring.

July 20, 2007

News - English y Espanol – about child-trafficking; finding of mutilated bodies; removal of organs; ensuing community violence.

Of particular note:  If the CAFTA "free" trade agreement with the United States is ratified, human bones, organs and tissues will be considered merchandise. (see below)

These crimes against children are to be understood in the context of a country where the "Peace Accords" of the 1990s did not work; where the unjust economic, political and military structures of the past (dating backto the 1954 USA-orchestrated coup against the democratic government of Guatemala) are intact; where the wealthy and powerful are protected by impunity and a fundamental lack of democracy.  Guatemala is not a "failed state" ... it is a crushed state, dominated and manipulated by the greedy and repressive interests of internal and international economic and political forces.

*******

Kidnapping of Children Increases in Guatemala

[Published by Prensa Latina, 7/19/07,

Guatemala, Jul 19 (Prensa Latina) Recovering a newborn baby kidnapped one month ago to his mother, gives new evidences of gangs involved in children traffic for irregular adoption. Jonathan Alejandro Martinez was found in a children's home owned by a non-governmental organization, allegedly devoted to protect vulnerable people and with a new identity granted by a municipality close to this capital.  The finding took place after one of the women who assaulted Cristina Sol, Jonathan's mother, on June 20 was identified, according to the authorities.

Four persons, among them a lawyer in charge of negotiating adoptions with foreign families, were arrested for the events however they were released on 700 and 3 thousand dollars bail.

Nidia Aguilar, Children's defender at the Human Rights Attorney's Office told Prensa Latina how those gangs operate to make the children situation become legal and give them to couples, mostly from US.  The babies, kidnapped or bought to their parents, are registered in a small municipality civil registry, inside the country and then presented to a minors' judge who declares them vulnerable and for that reason can be adopted.

Guatemala is a paradise of children's adoption because it is relatively easier to make the procedure, reduced to a simple notarial action.  This situation could change after The Hague Convention, regarding international adoption, enters into effect, which was recently ratified by the Congress of the Republic.

***

Guatemalan police rescue stolen baby

[Published by AP, 7/18/07 ,

By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA]

GUATEMALA CITY -- Guatemalan police rescued a two-month-old boy who had been stolen from his home and arrested four people who were allegedly preparing the baby for illegal adoption, an official said.  The rescue comes amid growing concerns about the Central American country's export of thousands of babies each year to adoptive parents abroad.

It was unclear where the baby was to have been sent, but police detained four people in the house where the baby was rescued and found a false birth certificate for the boy, said Jesus Esquivel, assistant chief of criminal investigations for the police force.  "Our investigations indicate that they were already at the stage of processing the adoption," Esquivel said.
 
However, Guatemala's Attorney General's office, the institution that oversees adoptions, said that so far no application for the baby's adoption, either under his real or false name, had yet been found. The baby could have had another fake birth certificate or the suspects may have not yet filed the application.

The suspects include the owner of the orphanage where the child was found and three employees. The boy was reportedly stolen from his parents' home in June.  Officials provided no details the abduction of the child.
 
The U.S. State Department, citing rampant problems of fraud and extortion, said in March it no longer recommends that Americans adopt children from Guatemala. U.S. officials have said there were frequent cases of birth mothers pressured to sell their babies and adoptive U.S. parents targeted by extortionists.

Under Guatemalan laws, unregulated notaries act as baby brokers who recruit birth mothers, handle all paperwork and complete adoptions in less than half the time it takes in other countries.  Under that system, more than 4,000 Guatemalan babies were adopted by U.S. parents last year, making Guatemala the second highest source of U.S. adoptions after China.

In May, the Guatemalan Congress ratified Tuesday the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoptions, which could sharply reduce the number of Guatemalan babies adopted by U.S. citizens each year.
 
It would be unlikely this stolen baby would have been adopted by an American family due to mandatory DNA testing required by the U.S. embassy to grant the infant a visa.

*****

Kids and Human Trafficking

[Published by Prensa Latina, 6/25/07,

Guatemala, Jun 25 (Prensa Latina) The arrest of Guatemalans Sergio Ventura and Catalina Hernandez as they tried to smuggle two Salvadoran children across the US border confirms soaring human and child trafficking.  Both were acquitted two months ago due to lack of evidence, but were deported now from Florida, US, and are detained at La Aurora International Airport. Victoria de Leon, from the Attorney's General Office, confirmed that an increasing number of Salvadoran children reach the US via Guatemala.

A wave of abductions attests to soaring child trafficking, generally for illegal adoption and the organ and body parts trade.

Panic spread with the murder of Michelle Espana, 8, in Camotan, found with heart and lungs missing. There have been other cases of frustrated kidnappings or young babies snatched from their mothers' arms.  The authorities say remote areas are hotspots for the traffickers who target poor families that do not dare to press charges.

****

CAFTA to Make Human Organs Commodities

San Jose, Jul 13 (Prensa Latina) Human bones, organs and tissues will be considered merchandise if the free trade agreement with the United States is ratified, Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Ministry admitted in a message released on Friday.  The document, addressed to Costa Rican Dr. Rodrigo Cabezas, a thorax surgeon, is signed by Foreign Trade Minister Marco Vinicio Ruiz and says these human organs would be marketed just like any other product in international trade.

In April 2007, the surgeon consulted the Foreign Trade Ministry over the meaning of item 30019010 of Appendix 3.3 of the CAFTA-DR (Central American Free Trade Agreement, plus Dominican Republic).  "For this given product,Costa Rica agreed to remove the import tariff under the free trade agreement," Ruiz replied on May 15.

This recognition that CAFTA would include marketing of human organs has prompted even more controversy in this Central American country.  Former executive president of the Costa Rican Social Security Institute, Guido Miranda, criticized this inclusion.

"Imagine, if a rich US patient in a clinic needs an organ, where will they go find it first?" he wondered.

*************************************************

TLC con EE.UU promueve tráfico de órganos humanos

Isabel Soto Mayedo, Redacción Central, (PL) Huesos, órganos y tejidos humanos tampoco escapan de la lógica mercantil que atraviesa el acuerdo presentado bajo el eufemismo de Tratado de Libre Comercio entreCentroamérica, República Dominicana y Estados Unidos.

El convenio, cuyo texto será sometido a referendo el 7 de octubre en Costa Rica, prevé el tráfico y comercialización de estas partes del cuerpo humano como artículos de exportación y libres de impuestos en el ítem 30019010, delAnexo 3.3.

Marcos Vinicio, ministro de Comercio Exterior de ese país, admitió que de aprobarse el documento esas partes humanas serán negociadas como cualquier mercancía del comercio internacional.

En respuesta escrita al médico costarricense Rodrigo Cabezas, el funcionario confirmó además que "para este producto en particular, Costa Rica acordó eliminar el arancel de importación de esta mercancía a la entrada envigencia de este Tratado".

El mensaje gubernamental DM-0592-7, fechado el 15 de mayo de 2007, despertó la indignación de varios galenos y se sumó a los argumentos manejados por quienes luchan contra la aplicación del TLC y recogidos por varios medios decomunicación.

Guido Miranda, ex presidente de la Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social, criticó el reconocimiento por parte de esa entidad de que el libre comercio aplicaría sobre esas partes del cuerpo humano.

Para el doctor, la legitimación de la comercialización de partes del cuerpo humano como artículos de exportación y libres de impuestos alienta el tráfico de huesos, riñones y otros órganos.

Tal partida, incluida en el texto que profundizó la conflictividad social en la otrora Suiza de Centroamérica, fue calificada de vergonzosa por el galeno Arturo Robles.

El ex presidente del Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos consideró que ello atenta contra el principio de ética y moral del que hacer profesional: "metieron los huesos, órganos y tejidos humanos como si fueran latas desardinas o palos de escoba", reaccionó.

Miranda cuestionó cómo se van a obtener esos órganos, aunque el semanario Informa-tico recordó que en Costa Rica operan instituciones promotoras de esas actividades, como es el caso de un banco de sangre del cordón umbilicalde los recién nacidos.

Ese centro cobra 100 dólares mensuales por resguardar las células madres de los niños para utilizarlas, en el futuro, para enfrentar enfermedades, reflejó la publicación.

Rodrigo Gutiérrez, decano de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad San Judas Tadeo, declaró que el tema del comercio de órganos es solamente un ejemplo dentro de un proceso económico que propició la transformación de la salud en una mercancía.

La donación de órganos históricamente constituyó un acto humanitario y de alto espíritu. Sin embargo, con lo establecido en el TLC con Estados Unidos esas partes del cuerpo serán exportados y el costo ascenderá a miles de dólares, alertó Robles.

===

WHAT TO DO?  "YES, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE"

Despite this brutal news, another world is possible, and many people across the globe are working for it.

YES, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE:  Rights Action, along with other organizers, are now working to prepare for the III Americas Social Forum (FSA-Guatemala)

to be held in Guatemala City, October 7-12, 2008.  This event is expected to attract approximately 30,000 people.  MORE INFORMATION - FSA-Guatemala:info@rightsaction.org.

NEXT STEPS

A range of Guatemalan and non-Guatemalan groups are working now, legally and politically, to try and remedy the children trafficking crimes.  Funds are needed.  We will continue to report on this.

TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS (to Rights Action)

To support community-based human rights, development and environment organizations, make your tax-deductible donation payable to "Rights Action"

and mail to: UNITED STATES: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887; CANADA:509 St. Clair Ave W, box73527, Toronto ON, M6C-1C0.  CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS: